On 13/12/2007, Dirk Koopman <djk at tobit.co.uk> wrote:
> > Apparently breaking a red light to get out of the way of a fire engine
> > or ambulance is actually against the law - only a police car has the
> > authority to tell you to go through a red light. Someone got a fine for
> > it a few years ago after being caught across the line on a red-light
> > camera with an ambulance going through beside them, it was in some of
> > the papers with suitably indignant headlines.
> >
>> Er...
>> Excuse me. It is an offence to fail to *stop* at a normal red light. It
> is not an offence (as such) to then drive on. Of course, depending on
> the circumstances, you might be done for all sorts of other things,
> especially if you hit something. But you can't be done for moving out of
> the way or just driving on (safely) *after* you have stopped.
That's good news, as I've done exactly that in the rather awkward
situation where I stopped for a red light in a single lane slip road
(with nice steel pedestrian barriers either side) when an ambulance
came around the corner behind with blue lights - sitting there until
the light went green didn't seem to be an option.
> Of course all these things come with the caveat that you continue to
> drive with due care and attention at all times.
Unfortunately this isn't the case for 99% of drivers unless they're
learning to drive, have a newborn baby on board or are retaking their
driving test after disqualification.
A.
--
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